Colorado’s first connected transportation program shares real-time data across vehicles, infrastructure and people

Newark, N.J.—Panasonic welcomed Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper to its Denver offices, where he proclaimed Dec. 4 as “Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Day” to reinforce initiatives such as Panasonic’s connected vehicle partnership with CDOT’s RoadX Program, as well as acknowledge EasyMile, a leader in autonomous technology, for its North American headquarters grand opening co-located within the Panasonic building.

“Colorado’s reputation as a hub for advanced technologies takes a significant step forward with Easy Mile’s opening of their North American headquarters and aligning with the state’s partner Panasonic,” Hickenlooper said. “We are proud to be called the home to one of the world’s leading autonomous transportation firms. By launching this first-of-its-kind connected vehicle program, we are rapidly leveraging transportation technology to improve safety and mobility on our roadways.”

Enabled by the autonomous vehicle legislation that State Representatives, Hickenlooper, and other stakeholders recently spearheaded, Panasonic and EasyMile, in coordination with CDOT, the City and County of Denver, and the Regional Transit District are planning the implementation of an autonomous vehicle technology deployment next to the Panasonic building in the spring. The driverless shuttle program will connect RTD’s 61st and Pena Station light rail station to bus routes on Tower Road. The implementation will be the first project of its kind in North America.

Panasonic marked the milestone in its alliance with CDOT, by highlighting its connected vehicle operations center. Hickenlooper, civic leaders and select corporate executives were invited to experience a demonstration of Colorado’s first connected transportation program that shares real-time data across vehicles, infrastructure and people in order to improve safety and mobility on the road. Panasonic and CDOT have committed to preparing the statewide deployment of an eco-system of connected cars and autonomous vehicles. The effort, which is already underway, is expected to significantly reduce crashes and injuries, improve traffic flow and increase capacity of the highway.

In addition to Panasonic’s connected vehicle technology demonstration, EasyMile highlighted its autonomous shuttle at the Peña Station NEXT development. The EasyMile shuttle made its inaugural ride to Peña Station, offering a practical application of first- and last-mile connections with existing public transit systems. The route is set to be in service in late spring/early summer.